Columbian national living in Mass. charged with identity theft, stealing $259K in housing benefits
A Columbian national living in Boston is facing federal charges of identity theft and stealing more than $259,000 in Section 8 housing benefits during a period of more than 13 years, the U.S. Attorney said Thursday.
Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 58, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of misuse of a Social Security number, one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport and one count of theft of government money, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement.
Orovio-Hernandez appeared in federal court in Boston on Wednesday.
If convicted, Orovio-Hernandez will also be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentenced imposed, Foley said.
According to court documents, Orovio-Hernandez, a citizen of Colombia, applied for a U.S. passport and a Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Real ID using the name and other biographical information of another person.
From October 2011 through January 2025, Orovio-Hernandez is accused of stealing approximately $259,589 in Section 8 housing assistance benefits, Foley said.
If convicted of misuse of a Social Security number, Orovio-Hernandez faces a sentence of up to five years of in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
If convicted of making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport, she faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
If convicted of theft of government money, she faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Burglary at Foley jewelry store leaves 2 businesses closed, police say
UPDATE (4:30 p.m.): News 5 has clarified the burglar's method of entry, according to police. FOLEY, Ala. (WKRG) — Foley Police Department officers are investigating after a jewelry store at Tanger Outlets was burglarized Sunday night, has learned. Body found in Baldwin County According to officials, someone broke into Zales by breaking through the wall of Rock N Roll Sushi, the adjoining business. INCIDENT LOCATION: FPD received the call around 8:30 a.m. from an employee, who said an unknown amount of jewelry had been taken. Both businesses are closed while police continue to investigate. This story is developing. News 5 will update this article as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mob heckles Homeland Security agent involved in Long Island car crash: ‘Get the f–k out of here!'
A huge mob surrounded a uniformed Department of Homeland Security official involved in a car accident outside a grammar school in Long Island on Tuesday after locals suspected they were part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement measures, according to a report. Dozens of people surrounded the crash scene at roughly 1:30 p.m. just one block from Park Avenue Elementary School, where an unmarked silver car carrying federal agents collided with a black Nissan pickup truck, according to a report from Newsday. The unruly group berated the federal agents, who were wearing Homeland Security Investigation insignias on their uniforms, as well as a mass of first responders, which included police officers, mounted units, and ambulances the report stated citing Nassau County Police. Video posted to social media showed dozens of angry people recording the officers with their phones, shouting expletives in Spanish with some occasionally yelling in English 'Get the f–k out of here!' and 'You f–king b—h!' at the federal officer. One person in the mob could be heard suggesting the officer was going to the Park Avenue Elementary School. 'Get the f–k out of Westbury!,' one man, who spoke mostly Spanish, said in a video from the scene. 'We told them they don't belong in Westbury,' Carina Hernandez, 45, who was at the scene, told the outlet outside the school. 'I'm a mom and I'm speaking up with a voice because a lot of people can't talk. They're scared. Thank God I'm legal in this country, but a lot of people are not blessed,' Hernandez, whose son is a Marine, told the outlet. The federal investigators involved in the crash were not working with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the time of the accident but instead were investigating a separate matter, according to that report. There were no arrests stemming from the incident, the report driver of the black Nissan pickup truck was transported by EMS to an area hospital while the federal agent was taken by authorities in a black SUV to an area hospital where she was treated for minor injuries, Newsday reported.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Police: 4-year-old boy dies after being found unresponsive in Lake Quinsigamond
An investigation is underway after a boy drowned in Lake Quinsigamond on Tuesday. According to Worcester Police, officers were called to the area of Bridle Path just after 5 p.m. for a report of an unresponsive 4-year-old. Officers found the boy inside a home where residents told them he was found unresponsive in Lake Quinsigamond. The 4-year-old was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. The boy's identity is not being released at this time. The facts and circumstances surrounding are being actively investigated. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
